Presser-foot for sewing-machines.



J. P. WEIS.

PRESSBR FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.21,1914.

1, 1 1 8,7 1, Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

IVITNESSES A TTORNE YS.

HE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOYOLITHO. WASHINGTON, I)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN P. were, or NYAGKQNEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO Lucius N. LITTAUER, or

GLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK.

PRESSER-FOOT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24 1914.

Application filed February 21, 1914. Serial No. 820,133.

To all whom it may concern: a

Be it known that I, JOHN P. \Vms, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nyack, in the county of Rockland and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Presser-Feet for Sewing-Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to presser foot mechanism for sewing machines, the object of the invention being to provide an improved presser foot, capable of yielding to varying thicknesses of work passingthereunder and tovpermit varying thicknesses of work to pass under different parts thereof, while giving a uniform pressure upon the different thicknesses of work so as to hold the same firmly upon thefeed dog, thereby to overcome any twisting, wrinkling or puckering of the work and permit it to be deliveredin a smooth condition.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a presser foot of lever construction having various sections cooperating with independent needles, each section adapted to act upon a portion of the work the thickness of which may vary from portions passing under other sections of the foot. a

A further object is the provision of an improved presser foot made up of a plurality of hinged sections capable of rocking motion at right angles to the direction of the feed and also of a rocking motion in the direction of feed, and which presser foot may also have means for guiding a strip to present the edges uniformly to the needles.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a presser foot whereby various bottom sections may not only be ar, ranged to have a uniform yielding pressure to accommodate various thicknesses of work, but whereby also the respective sections may be of a width to suit the characterof the work being operated on by each section; that is to say, one, as the center section, may be wide so as toact uponthe panel of a strip which has its two edges folded, while others, as the outer sections, may be narrow so as to correspond in width with such folded edges, all of the sections having a rocking action at right angles to the feed and a slight rocking action in the direction of such feed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a presserfoot for multiple or gang needle machines, comprising a system of levers pivotally connected direct to the presser bar so that high lift may be had on the presser foot to permit very thick work to be handled and freedom to pass bulky workinto and out of the machine under the presser foot.

A further object of the invention is to provide a presser foot for guiding strips with folded edges, or lace, with means for guiding the strips on each edge and means for guiding lace along the open portion thereof, the yielding sections of the presser foot bottom coacting with the different bars of the lace, one section acting along the stitch lineswhere the lace overlaps the work, another section acting on the opposite edge of the lace, and still another section acting upon the body material or cloth to which the lace is attached, with means for permitting the several sections to yield in various directions, and means for adjusting the lace guiding device.

It has been found in practice that on certain classes of Work, such as shirt front button-hole facings, button stays, etc., which comprise a strip on the top with the two edges folded, a strip on the bottom with the two edges folded, the latter being narrower than the strip on the top, and in addition thereto a strip of lining guided in between the top and bottom strip and the edge of the shirt guided in between the SBVBl'iLl strips so as to be stitched down by one or more needles, the bulk of work varies in thickness under different portions of the presser foot bottom, and consequently it has been very diflicult to do this class of work with any of the presser feet commonly used without cutting out different portions of the presser foot bottom to correspond to the different thicknesses of work passing thereunder, and when the presser foot is thus adapted for a given kind of work it is not suitable should the work be changed to another thickness, as the work would wrinkle in certain places because the feed and presser foot would not have the proper grip on the material to feed it through the machine smoothly.

The object, therefore, of the present improvement is to provide a presser foot of the character described, by the use of which these conditions are satisfactorily met and overcome. a

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved presser ioot, showing the same provided with a shank for attaching it to the presser bar of a sewing machine; Fig. 2 is a view showing the presser foot adapted for attachment directly to the sewing machine presser bar and having three yieldable bottom sections only; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the presser foot shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is asectional.

view of the presser i'oot shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of amodified form of my improved presser foot showing the same having only two yieldable bottom sections; Fig. 6 shows a side and front end view of a modified form of the presser foot provided with means for guiding lace and the like; Fig. 7 shows a rear end view of the presser i 'oot shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8illustrates the details of the presser foot shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 9 illustrates the details of the presser foot shown in Figs. 6 and 7; and Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the principle of operation of the lever-system formed presser foot.

Similar characters of reference indicate the same parts in the different figures of the drawings.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 3, this improved presser foot comprises a plate or lever 4 provided at the rear thereof with a shank 1 having the usual recess orcutout 2 for the reception of and attachment to the presser bar of a sewing machine. The shank 1 is attached to the lever 4 by means of a shouldered screw 3 passing through the shank and threaded into the lever 4, whereby the lever 4 will have a pivotal or rocking motion on said shank. The lever 4 is longitudinally slotted or recessed at its underside, as at 7, to receive plates or levers 5 and 6, which are pivotally mounted in the slot or recess 7 oi the lever 4 by means of pins 9 and 10 passing transversely through said lever 4 and the levers 5 and 6 respectively, the slot in the lever 4 being suiiiciently deep to permit the levers 5 and 6 to have a pivotal or oscillating movement on said pins.

The presser foot bottom comprises sections 11, 12, and 16, each provided with a transverse slot 8 in line with the slot 7 of the lever 4 and is also provided with a needle hole 21, and the two outer sections may be provided with downwardly extending lips or flanges, as 19 and 20, for guiding strips or the like. The bottom sections 11, 12, 15 and 16 are also mounted for pivotalv or oscillating movement on the levers 5 and 6, which project into the slots 8, by means of pins 13 passing through the upstanding portions of said sections and into one of the levers 5 and 6, the sections 11 and 15 for instance being thus pivotally connected to the lever 5 and the sections 12 and16 to the lever 6, and this system of lever connection may be almost indefinitely continued to provide as many bottom sections to the presser foot as may be necessary, somewhat after the manner shown in diagram in Fig. 10, each section having its own independent pivotal movement and yet all under the control of the main pressure of the usual presser spring and bar.

The presser foot shown in Figs. 2 and 4 is adapted to be attached directly to the presser bar 23 of the sewing machine by means of the screw 3 passing therethrough and threaded into the top plate or lever 27 of the presser foot, the bar being flattened, as at 25, see Fig. 8, to provide a shouldered or overhanging edge 26 which cooperates with the top plate or lever 27 to limit the rocking motion of the presser foot on the screw 3. The presser foot shown in these figures comprises but three bottom sections, the lever 27 being slotted at its underside, as at 29, in a manner similar to the lever 4 of the presser foot shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and in this slot is pivotally mounted the lever by means of a pin 31.projecting through v the levers 30 and 27, the lever 30 occupying approximately two-thirds of the length of the slot 29; and on this lever 30 are p1vot ally mounted by means of pins 38, the bottom sections and 37 in'the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The third bottom section 32 is provided with an upstanding lip 33 which projects up into the remaining onethird of the length of the slot 29 and by means of which the section 32 is pivotally mounted directly on the lever 27 for oscillating movement in said slot 29, by means of a pin 34 passing through said lip 33 and the adjacent walls of the slot 29.

The presser foot shown in Fig. 5 comprises but two bottom sections 42 and 43. The plate or lever 39 in this instance, instead of being slotted, is provided with a depending tongue 40, and the bottom sections 42 and 43 are each provided with a transverse slot 41, shown in detail in Fig. 8, into which the tongue projects, each of said bottom sections being pivotally mounted on said lever 39 by means of a pin 45 passing through the side walls of the slot 41 and through the tongue 40.

In the form of presser foot shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 9, the plate or lever is slotted at its top, as at 52, to receive a shank 47, which is properly shaped, as at 48, to fit the presser bar of a sewing machine. This shank is pivotally mounted in the slot 52 by means of a pin 49 passing through its lower end and into the adjacent side walls of the slot 52 so as to permit the shank to have a rocking movement in said slot. The underside of the lever 50 is recessed at its central portion, as at 54, to provide a de pending portion 53 at each side thereof.

The. central bottom section 57 of the presser foot, shown in detail in Fig. 9, is provided with a projection 56 extending vertically and rearwardly from said section 57 and adapted to fit into the recess 5l-of the lever 50, the said projection 56 being provided at the rear thereof with an elongated slot 58, through which passes a pin 59,

which is secured in the lever 50 for limiting the up and down movement of the section 57. The section 57 also has secured thereto a pin 60, whichprojects up into an opening 62 in the lever 50 and is surrounded by a coiled spring 61 so as to give a yielding pressure downward on the section 57. The forward end of the section 57 is concaved or rounded out, as at 75, just back of where the needles operate so as not to interfere with the stitching. i

The side sections 64 and 65, shown in detail in Fig. 9, are provided at the rear there of with slots 66 each adapted to receive one of the depending portions 53 of the lever 50, and each ofthese sections is pivotally mounted on one of said depending portions by means of a pin 63 passing through the side walls of said slot and through the depending portion 53, the walls of the depending portions 53 being slightly inclined and the bottoms slightly rounded so as to permit the sections 64: and 65 to have a rocking movement on said depending portions transversely of the direction of feed, the openings in the members 53 for the reception of the pins 63 being sufliciently large to permit this rocking movement. The section 65 is provided on its outer side with an L-shaped extension 72 for the purpose of holding the edging material out fiat, and on its opposite side with an extension 73 adapted to fit into a cutout or recess 74 in the section 64 so as to prevent the ends of the work or edging from catching on the corners of the foot 57 when passin beneath the same.

For the purpose of guiding lace and the like, the section 64 is provided with. an upright portion 67, in which is adjustably secured by means of a screw 76, a stem 69 secured to the shaft 68. A toothed roller is mounted on the shaft 68 for free rotary movement thereon, so that when the lace or similar material is passing over the same the roller will rotate on the shaft 68 so as to bring each tooth into an open space of the material, the roller 70 being provided at one side thereof with a flange 71 for guiding the edge of the material so as to present it in alinement with the needles.

It will thus be seen that the presser foot shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 9 has the same functions as those shown in Figs. 1 to 5 and 8, and that it comprises three bottom sections, the center section 57 acting on the stitch line,which is usually formed by two needles, the looper and several threads making a 1. A presser foot for sewing machines,

comprising a main lever, and a plurality of bottom sections supported by said lever for movement therewith and for movement in: dependently thereof, a pair of said sections being movable independently of the other section or sections.

2. A presser foot for sewing machines, comprising a pivotally mounted main lever, and a plurality of bottom sections supported bysaid main lever for movement therewith and for movement independently thereof a pair of said sections being movable in ependently of the other section or sections.

3. A presser foot for sewing machines, comprising a pivotally mounted main lever, and a plurality of pivotally mounted bottom sections supported by said main lever for movement therewith and for movement independently thereof, a pair of said sections being movable independently of the other section or sections. 1 i p l A. presser foot for sewing machines, comprising a main lever supported for oscillatory movement transversely of the direction of the feed, and a plurality of bottom sections supported by said .maln lever for oscillatory movement at right angles to the direction of the feed, a pair of said sections being movable independently of the other section or sections.

5. Agpresser foot for sewing machines, comprising a main lever, one or more levers movable therewith and independently thereof, and one or more bottom sections supported by said lastlever or levers for movement.

therewith and independently thereof.

6. A presser foot for sewing machines,

comprising a pivotally supported main lever,

one or more levers pivotally secured thereto for movement therewith and independently thereof, and one or more bottom sections pivotally supported by said last named lever or levers for movement therewith and independently thereof.

7. A presser foot for sewing,machines,

comprising a main lever pivotally supported for oscillatory movement transversely of the direction of the feed, one or more levers pivotally supported by said main lever for oscillatory movement transversely of the di rection of the feed, and one or more bottom sections supported by each of said last named levers for oscillatory movement transversely of the direction of the feed, said bottom sections and intermediate levers hav- Cal mg movement with the main lever but also movable independently thereof and of each other.

8. A presser foot comprising a supporting bar, a member pivotally secured to and extending crosswise of said bar, and a plurality of bottom sections extending crosswise of such crosswise extending member, some of said, sections movable together and independently of the other section or sections.

9. A presser foot comprising a supporting bar, a member secured to and extending crosswise of said bar and movable therewith and independently thereof, and a plurality of bottom sections extending crosswise of such movable member and movable therewith and independently thereof, some of said sections movable together and independently of the other section or sections.

10. A presser foot comprising a supporting bar and a member pivotally secured thereto crosswise thereof, a plurality of bottom sections, and means pivotally oonnecting each of said bottom sections with said crosswise extending member whereby some of said sections are movable together and independently of the other section or sections.

11. A presser foot comprising a supporting bar, a member pivotally secured thereto and extending crosswise thereof, a plurality of bottom sections, and means pivotally connecting the bottom sections with said crosswise extending memberwvhereby some of said sections are movable together and independently of the other section or sections.

12. A presser foot for sewing machines, comprising a, crosswise extending main lever, and one or more bottom sections supported by said main lever and having a pivotal connection therewith transversely of said main lever for movement therewith and for movement independently thereof, one or more of said bottom sections having a lip-formed guide. 7

13. A presser foot for sewing machines, comprising a pivotally mounted crosswise extending main lever, and one or more pivotally mounted bottom sections supported by said main lever and having a pivotal connection therewith transversely of said main lever for movement therewith and for movement independently thereof, one or more of said bottom sections having a lip-formed guide.

14:. A presser foot for sewing machines, comprising a pivotally supported crosswise extending main lever, one or more levers pivotally secured thereto for movement therewith and independently thereof, and one or more bottom sections pivotally supported by said last named lever or levers for movementv therewith and independently thereof, one or more of said bottom sections having a lip-formed guide.

15. A presser foot comprising a supporting bar, a member secured'to and extending crosswise of said bar and movable therewith and independently thereof, a plurality of bottom sections extendingrcrosswise of such movable member and movable therewith and independently thereof, and one or more intermediate members connecting said bottom sections with said crosswise extending member and movable with said member and independently thereof, one or more of said bottom sections having a lip-formed guide. v

16. A presser foot for .sewing machines, comprising a main lever pivotally connected to the presser foot bar, a plurality of bottom sections carried by said main lever, and means connecting said sections with said lever to permit oscillatory movement of said sections at ri ht angles to the direction of feed and whereby some of said sections are movable together and independently of the other section or sections. i v

17. A presser foot for sewing machines, comprising a main lever, a plurality of levers carried by said main lever, a plurality of bottom sections carried by said levers, and means connecting said sections with said levers to permit oscillatory movement of said sections at rigl'it angles to the direction of feed.

18. A presser foot for sewing machines, comprising a main lever, pivotal means connecting said main lever to the presser foot bar, aplurality of levers pivotally carried by said main lever, and a plurality ofbottom sections pivotally carried by said-levers.

19. Apresser foot for sewing machines, comprising a main lever, pivotal means connecting said main lever to the presser foot bar, a plurality of levers pivotally carried by said main lever, and a pluralityof bot tom sections pivotally carried by said levers, each of said levers having an independent oscillatory movement on said main lever and each of said bottom sections hav ing an independent oscillatory movement on said levers.

20. A presser foot for sewing machines, comprising a main lever pivotally connected with the presser-foot bar, an oscillatory lever carried by said main lever, and a plurality of bottom sections adapted for oscillatory movement relatively to said main and oscillatory levers.

21. A presser foot for sewing machines, comprising a main lever pivotally connected with the presser foot bar and provided with a slot, a plurality of levers mounted in said slot and adapted for oscillatory movement longitudinally thereof, and a plurality of bottom sections mounted on said levers and each adapted for independent oscillatory movement relatively to said levers.

22. A presser foot'for sewing machines, comprising a crosswise extending main lever pivotally connected with the presser foot bar, an oscillatory lever carried by said main lever, a plurality of bottom sections adapted for oscillatory movement relatively to said main and oscillatory levers, and means carried by said bottom sections for guiding the work thereunder.

23. A presser foot for sewing machines,

comprising a crosswise extending main lever ivotally connected with the presser foot Ear, an oscillatory lever carried by said main lever, a plurality of bottom sections adapted for oscillatory movement relatively to said main and oscillatory levers, and downwardly extending lips carried by the outer of said bottom sections for guiding the work thereunder.

24. A presser foot for sewing machines, comprising a main lever provided with a slot at its underside, an oscillatory lever mounted in said slot, and a plurality of bottom sections provided with upstandingportions located adjacent to said oscillatory lever and adapted to have'an oscillatory movement independently of said levers.

JOHN P. WEIS.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. .KANE, EDWARD L. RUssnLL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

